: Lawsuits Update - Dr. Dre, ICP, Lucas Films and Metallica

4-20-00
7:15 AM PST antiGUY

We
thought it would be a good idea to keep a separate page for the latest
info on these music related legal actions that keep springing up. Since
this news changes often this is the best way to stay informed of the blow
by blows as they happen.

Metallica
Vs. Napster and several Universities.

Metallica
issued suit against Napster and the University of Southern California,
Yale University and Indiana University accusing them of violating Rico
by enabling people to use Napster's software to download copyrighted songs.
(See Metallica
wants to get paid)

On
4-19 Yale University told students that they will block the use of Napster's
software by students on their network on 4-14. In response Metallica has
dropped Yale as a codefendant in the suit.

Dr.
Dre. Dr.
Dre. Jumped on the anti-Napster bandwagon by issuing a warning letter to
the company telling them they have until 4-21-00 to remove his songs from
their web site/database. (See
Dr Dre jumps on anti-Napster bandwagon. )

Isn't
ironic that Metallica and Dr. Dre are represented by the same Lawyer?

In
other Dr Legal news: The rapper has been slapped
with a lawsuit by Lucas Films Ltd. The Lucas suit claims that Dre illegally
used the companies "THX Deep Note" to open his album Chronic 2001. They
also contend that Dre originally asked for permission to use the sound
on his record, but after the company said no, he used it anyway.

The
"THX deep note" is the sound heard during a commercial in movie theaters
that lets the audience know that they are hearing the movie in THX sound.
Does it go to 11?

ICP:The
Northwood, Ohio teen who sued police for taking away his Insane Clown Posse
T-shirt claiming first amendment violations settled the case out of court
with a letter of apology and an undisclosed sum of money. (Will this work
against High School Vice Principals?)

The
police stopped the youth last August when they saw he was wearing a ICP
shirt that depicted a Santa Claus with a bullet in his head and also had
"Merry F***ing Xmas Bitch," printed on the back. The police said at the
time that the shirt violated a statewide ban on such apparel.

LawyersSince
we are talking legal stuff here I thought I would share a lawyer joke with
you all.

A man
and a women go to the head angel in heaven and say " Hey we have fallin
in love and would like to get married". The angel replied, " Wow that has
never been done before. Let me track down a minister to perform the ceremony."
A month later they found a minister and the two were married.

A year
later the man goes back to the angel and says, "Sorry but it just didn't
work out between us, we would like to get a divorce". The angel shook his
head and said, " It took us a month to find a minister up here in heaven,
Just imagine how hard it will be to find a lawyer!"

That's
the joke. You won't find corny stuff like that on other music sites. Ok,
please don't tell me to keep my day job. =) aG